I forgot to ask for pre-trip advice so this is the post trip love: Los Angeles

Due to the Christmas rush I forgot to ask the forum for some tips on Los Angeles but I thought I would throw down some post trip love on here in case anyone else needs some recommendations before they visit. As I will be visiting yearly as my mother in law lives there please pitch in with any other recommendations.

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Griffiths Observatory by TomEats, on Flickr

Also, just to say: who knew? Los Angeles really is awesome.

Cycling

The mother in law lives in Thousand Oaks which is north of the city. This luckily meant a lot of riding up in the canyons next to and above the PCH and some great empty roads. It was great to see both beautiful roads, lots of other cyclists and drivers who respect and aren't trying to kill cyclists (as it is in China/ South Korea).

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PCH by TomEats, on Flickr

If you go to Los Angeles try and have a ride up around the canyons and PCH. I particularly liked the 23 and Mulholland Drive as it cut across the top of the canyons. I didn't bring a bike but it was easy to rent one and even managed an nice Cannondale with Di2 which has also converted me to electronic shifting.

On bike shops, I visited a lot of specialist racing ones in the suburbs and all of them were good. I also hit Golden Saddle Cyclery which is probably one of the more famous and hipster ones in the city. Good urban biking stuff there.

The Pacific

To anyone who lives on the west coast they are probably blaze about it but wow. I have previously visited the Oregon coast which I loved but this was the sun speckled blonde sister of that. Sea which is clean and there and swimmable all year round without a wetsuit.

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SUP by TomEats, on Flickr

I had a go at paddleboarding which I would highly recommend if in the area (and realised my core is weak).

If you are in the area Neptune's Net is worth it for a (slightly tacky) visit as it butts right onto the PCH and has a good bit of ambience as a bikers' bar which was featured in Fast & Furious 1 so you get some car facing fanboys as well. An epic selection of beer and some acceptably good fried food to watch the sun go down.

Los Angeles

If are into food I would say you have to visit Bucato. The only astounding modern restaurant we hit in Los Angeles. Much much better than the other rated places like Gjelinas and The Tasting Kitchen (which are meh by London/ NY/ Hong Kong international standards).

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Apple Pan by TomEats, on Flickr

Generally it is all about cheap and amazing Mexican/ ethnic food and Americana at places like the Apple Pan / In N Out Burger / Jitlada. Oh and donuts. What donuts.

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Mexican joy: $3.23 by TomEats, on Flickr

Oh and Handsome Coffee Roasters.

The Future

Now I want to live there. Apart from putting me dangerously close to in-laws.

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Santa Monica by TomEats, on Flickr

No trip to Roscoes chicken and waffles?

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Originally Posted by maunahaole

No trip to Roscoes chicken and waffles?

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I currently live in a land where every second shop is a fried chicken place. Normally I would have!

Happy to ride with you next time you're around.

LA gets no love on this northeast-centric forum. I like LA. Way more cool stuff there than anyone would guess from its reputation, particularly food.

Zimmerman has a list of awesome places to go in LA. I would've left several years ago if he hadn't given me the lowdown.

I spent the 4th of July weekend in LA last summer and fully expected to hate it. I ended up loving it.

LA doesn't feel nearly as big as it is. To me, it actually feels a lot like Minneapolis, probably because of all the early-20th century bungalows.

It might not be at the very top of my list, but I could live in LA and like it.

I was born, raised and had a pretty good work career all centered around the west side of LA. Picked up and relocated to Portland OR this past Oct but I can offer a few thoughts on my prior home. Roads emptying to and lifting off from PCH between Topanga Canyon to the south and Deer Creek to north are pretty delightful, especially in the early hours of the day. Same for Palos Verdes. Further east in the San Gabriel Mtn's, east and north fork(s) lead to relatively quiet sections of National Forests tho be cautious, in the afternoons, motorists looking for a "thrill" often rip up and down those same canyon roads pushing their limits. Further south in the "OC" opened up numerous fun road rides in and around the Anaheim Hills in short, I road all over the greater basin from north to south, west and east. The one common thread, is get out there early in the day and be back in the barn by 7:30am M-F and by 10am on the weekends. Lastly, I always found that riding at night on the west side streets after 8pm was a remarkably surreal experience. Drivers and their respective personalities seemed to take on a calmer, kinder, gentler attitude. Enjoy!

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Originally Posted by Brian E Hammer

Lastly, I always found that riding at night on the west side streets after 8pm was a remarkably surreal experience. Drivers and their respective personalities seemed to take on a calmer, kinder, gentler attitude. Enjoy!

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This is totally true... until the bars let out.

Riding with a group of 6-8 and stopping for truck tacos at the end of the night is effin awesome and something I will miss dearly when I finally leave this hellhole.